The Call of Betrayal
by mzsha18XX
Summary: From attending the wedding of her dreams to finding her mutation once more returning, Rogue turns to the one place she could always call home. Back at the institute, she finds lies that have been covered up, but most of all heart ache all over again. She thought she may have out run it, but returning to the mansion for the comfort of her best friend, was only the beginning.
1. Chapter 1

~Chapter 1~

Looking out the window at the mansion that stood behind the massive steel gates, she frowned. Five years ago she walked away from her old life and got the cure, yet fate decided against it. Closing her eyes and pulling the silk gloves snug around her arm, tears welded up as that tragic day played in her mind again.

The day her mutation returned...with a vengeance.

***Flashback***

"And remember, don't be nervous tonight." Her best friend Cassy stated, beside her fixing her hair.

Rolling her eyes, she glimpsed out the window to the small tent within the garden. "If ah didn't know any better, ah would say ya' were the one getting married instead of meh." Her southern drawl sounded.

Huffing and folding her arms, the short blond shook her head. "After all I done for you, this is the thanks I get? Who's the one that introduced you to the cutie with the bootie? Not to mention the one footing the bill for this shindig and..."

"Ah get it, sorry." She quickly voiced, throwing her arms around her shoulders in a bear hug. "Ya' been the best these last five years. Ah don't know what ah would've done without ya', Cassandra." She finished staring into her crystal blue eyes.

Sighing, Cassy shrugged her off and led her out the small hotel room. "Well, that's more like it." Turning down the hall and descending the staircase, they paused at the open patio double doors. Facing her, she raised an eyebrow. "Ready to do this damn thing?"

Laughing at her way to snap them back to the present, she nodded.

"Then let's go." Arm out, she gave a nod and the pianist began her song.

Smiling, they began her last walk as a single woman.

***End Flashback***

Hearing the driver call her name, she was jerked out of her reverie. "Yeah?" She called.

"We're here. Do you need assistance with your bag?"

Shaking her head and retrieving a bill out her purse, she handed it over. "That should be more than enough. Just pop the trunk and ah can do the rest."

In record time, she held her suitcase in hand and found herself standing before the place she once called home. Releasing a breath, she rang the doorbell.

Chastising yet another kid for running around the damn hall, Logan growled. "I'm going to shish kabob the next midget that I come across," he threatened, as a small boy who rounded the corner neared him. Watching as he quickly came to a stop, he smirked and made his way towards Chuck's office for yet another briefing on the latest mission. Just as his foot touched down upon the last step, the damn door bell sounded. Sighing, the burly man for went asking 'who went there' and yanked the hunk of wood open.

Getting a good glimpse of a rather small female with a nice ass to boot, he smirked. But the moment she turned around and he spotted the trade mark two white streaks, his world stood still.

"Ma...Marie?" His low voice sounded, completely lost on his tough persona he gave off.

Giving a hesitant smile and tucking a strand behind her ear, Rogue paled as she saw the disbelief written all in his face.


	2. Chapter 2

~Chapter 2~

Leaning back in her chair, Storm sighed. "For the last time Logan, please take a seat and all will be explained."

Growling, he slammed his hands on the desk between him and the weary weather witch. "Why? That's all I need to know."

Seeing there was no way to have this conversation as two calm and rational adults, she frowned. "All which was concealed from you, was done on Rogue's behalf."

He scoffed. "You're lying. She would never want me to not be involved in her life. Me and the kid..."

"And that's the problem, you will always see her as a kid, Logan." Her harsh voice rang out. "Rogue wanted to be seen as more than that 'kid' you saved and promised to protect. The last few years that she remained under this roof, she grew up and everyone here noticed the young woman she became. Save for you."

Narrowing his eyes, he unconsciously bared his teeth. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Leaning forward and on the desk until they were eye level, Storm gaze hardened to match his. "It means, while you were out searching for your past and returning here to chase Jean, you didn't see the pain and heartache she suffered due to you and your negligence! After you saved her back on the Statue of Liberty and swore to damn near take care of her, she began to develop feelings for you. We all tried to stop it from occurring, yet you always came back and sought her out. The one time she actually had a chance at something, you came and ruined it!"

"She had a damn crush on me, nothing new! Half the damn student body do, if their whispers are anything to go off of!"

"Damn it Logan, Rogue was in love with you."

Instantly, all the fight left him. Falling back and into the chair behind him, he lost all his anger as only confusion laid in it's wake. "Why...Why didn't she come to me and ..."

"And what, Logan? Wait for you to tell her you only viewed her as a kid, you sworn to protect? Rather you want to believe it or not, the only woman you had eyes for within these walls...were Jean."

Falling silent, he could only stare at her in shock.

"And as for her not wanting you in her life, you could only see her as a kid and she wanted more. For years she suffered because her feelings weren't returned, but she accepted that as part of her mutation. And with it gone, nothing changed, so you can understand why she didn't want you involved in her second chance at a normal life, as she called it."

Leaning back heavily in his seat, he ran a hand down his face. "But to fake her own death?"

Sighing, Storm righted herself in the chair and glanced at him. "Can you honestly tell me, if you knew she were alive you wouldn't have sought her out?"

"I..." Lowering his gaze, words seized to leave his lips.

"As I thought...I know it is a shock to know that she is alive and ..."

"Who else knew?"

"Pardon me?"

Growling, he once more came to his feet and towered over her. "Who all knew the truth about her being alive?"

Frowning, she regretted what she was going to say. "Only me, Hank, and...Jubilee, your wife."

Instantly freezing, he pivoted on his feet and headed towards where her scented perfume that he dreaded so led.

Watching as he went marching out of her office and begin his hunt for his other half, Storm frowned. Even though she feared what this would do to his relationship, she was more scared of how Rogue would feel once she learned her best friend married 'her' old flame and all time hero.

On the other side of the mansion, two old friends were catching up and laughing.

* * *

"You should've seen her face when we all caught him making out with the new girl." Jubilation Lee stated, as she led Rogue through the garden.

Shaking her head, she smirked. "Kitty always wanted him, guess she should've known if he was going to cheat on meh, he would do it to her too."

"I know, right?" Coming to a fountain, she paused and eyed her long time friend. "You never said what brought you back, chicky?"

Eyeing her sudden nervousness and the way she played with her left hand, she frowned. "My mutation came back...What's wrong, Jubes?"

"Nothing."

"It doesn't seem like nothing." Watching as she slowly maneuvered her left hand back, she quickly grabbed her wrist. Ignoring her pleas to be released and raising it, she gasped. Abiding by her request, an eye brow rose on her confused face. "Ya' got married and didn't tell meh."

Seeing the hurt in her doughy brown hues, Jubilee dug both appendages in her yellow trench pockets. "You were going through a lot and finding yourself, girl. I didn't want to bother you or..."

"So ya' think ah wouldn't like to know that my best friend is getting married? Ah even told you about mine!" She exclaimed.

Flinching as if she was struck, the small Asian didn't know what to say.

Releasing a tight breath, she frowned. "Who is it, Jubes?"

"I ugh...Why does it matter?" She stammered out.

"It must, if ya' won't tell meh."

"Look Rogue, it's not important and..."

"Yellow!" A gruff and angered voice sounded, in the distance.

Color instantly draining from her face, she could only watch as he rushed towards them and came to a stop before her.

"You got some explaining to fucken do!" Logan bellowed.

"Wolvie-bear, I can..."

"Him, you married him?" Rogue's broken voice sounded, clearly jolting the pair to stare in her direction.

Cursing, he didn't know what to say. Having Storm's last words run through his mind on her love for him and seeing it in her eyes, he froze.

Facing her friend, Jubilee took a step towards her.

"Don't." She angrily bit out. "After all we been through and the pain ah felt, this is the worst."

"Chicky, I didn't mean to, I ..."

"Swear? Was that what ya' was going to say?" Shaking her head, her eyes began to glow. "Save it. Ah had a lot of people promise meh things over the last ten years. That no matter my mutation they would love me, stand by me, protect me..."

Logan flinched, at hearing that.

"...and be my best friend. Ah guess you didn't get the memo on the last one, huh?"

Blinking, tears fell. "Roguey, I'm sorry. After he thought you were dead and everything you told me about him, I just..."

"Ended our friendship. Ah don't want no explanation from neither of you. Ah'm done with ya' both." Turning, she began to walk away.

"That's not fair and you know it!" Jubilee yelled.

Pausing, she remained facing forward.

"It's alright for you to move on and get married, but we can't? And then to show up here unannounced and..."

"Ah killed him, Jubilee." She stated, once more facing them. "Richard, the man I was going to marry not even twenty-four hours ago, ah killed. The day of my wedding, when we kissed, ah killed him. My mutation returned after ah've taken the cure and it's ten times stronger."

Hand going to her mouth, the small woman became speechless.

Blinking, tears caressed her pale face. "Ah came here, because of you, Jubes. Ah wanted my best friend by my side and help me get through this." Looking towards a silent Logan, she smirked. "Ah even came knowing ah would have to see the one man that will always hold my heart, possibly be with someone else." Once more facing the immobile female, she laughed. "But ah would've never guessed it would be you. After all, ya' gave me hell for pining after the 'big ape' as you called him." Face hardening, her voice became cold. "I guess ya' just wanted me out of the way. Well ya' got it. And only at the price of our friendship." Closing her eyes and allowing one of the many mutations that taken many years ago flow through her, she vanished in a puff of smoke.

Legs giving out on her, Jubilee fell to ground. "What have I done?" She cried out, staring at the black mist before her.

Silently agreeing with his wife, Logan could only guess this summer was going to be one long, hot, and increasingly tense affair.


	3. Chapter 3

~Chapter 3~

Viewing the reports before her and sighing, her dark hues scanned the room. "I again apologize for awakening you all at this late hour, but the Brotherhood is after a mutant and I fear he may be captured." Storm began. "I need a small team to fly out to New Orleans and aid him, as well as hopefully persuade him into joining us here." Pressing a button on the built in keyboard on the table, a hologram appeared. "His name is Remy LeBeau, or Gambit. He has the ability to charge any object that he touches, into an explosive. He is mostly known for being in route at the..."

"Casino's." Rogue finished, covering a yarn with a satin gloved hand.

Nodding, she eyed her. "I take it, you know of him?"

"Ah wouldn't exactly go and say that, but he and ah go a ways back. After ah got the cure, he helped me out..." Pausing her suddenly saddened gaze landed on Logan across from her, with a sleepy Jubilee leaning into him. "Seeing as ah held a certain someone's dog tags at the time."

Leaning forward, he eyed her. "He knows me?"

"Yeah, it would seem you worked together a few years back." Returning her gaze to Storm's patient one, she sighed. "Ah'll go. He will listen to meh if nothing else."

"And why is that?" He demanded.

Noticing the Wolverine in his gaze begging for freedom, she smirked. "While some people didn't want to acknowledge the woman ah became, he sure didn't hesitate." She hauntingly bit out.

Jumping to his feet and ignoring his wife that damn near fell onto the floor, he growled. "So you went elsewhere, because I didn't..."

"Logan, that is enough!" Hank yelled, coming to his feet and appearing rather wide awake now. "This is not the time nor place for such. We are here about a mission and it shall remain as so. Now, please take your seat and let us continue."

Narrowing his eyes, but promptly closing his mouth, he did as told. Feeling Jubilee lay a hand on his bare chest, he effortlessly shrugged it off. Frowning, she leaned back in her seat and shot her ex-best friend a heated look.

Rolling her eyes at the pair, Rogue merely stared ahead at the hologram. "The picture's a little off. His hair touches his shoulders now and...Ah have a recent picture if you would like?"

Nodding, Storm motioned towards the low and flat computer screen before her.

Coming to her feet and quickly accessing her email account, she pulled up a picture. Instantly, the hologram morphed into a 3-D photo of her and a smiling Gambit having a casual drink in a dank bar.

Spotting an emblem on the wall behind them, the white haired woman came to her feet. "The Thieves' Guild, you were part of it?"

Glimpsing the room and seeing the shock on everyone's face, she sighed. "Not was...still am. Once a member, always a member." Pulling her hair back and revealing the back of her neck, there lay the same symbol from the picture.

"Why, Rogue? I would've gladly gave you money to help you support your new life?"

Hearing the disappointment and clear hurt for her misdeed, she frowned. "Once ah taken the cure, ah needed to leave. With the Professor, Jean, and Scott gone, ah didn't want to become a bother. And at the time, ah needed to run and escape this life. You know the pain ah felt every day and once ah've taken the cure, it was a new meh. And if it makes you feel much better, ah was only an active member for the first year."

"Why is that?" Hank asked, placing a hand on her arm.

Staring down into his eyes of such golden trust, she gave a sad smile. "Ah miscalculated that a house would be empty of any residence and got shot." Blinking, doughy brown hues glazed over as she unconsciously touched her left shoulder. "Ah remember the agonizing pain that raced through me at that moment, as he came closer. He was going to shoot me in the head as ah lay bleeding in his living room, wheezing for oxygen. Knowing my life was going to end, ah closed my eyes and awaited my fate...Yet it never came. Instead, he picked meh up and helped me to the sofa and dug the bullet out."

Giving a short laugh, all could clearly see the pain she was in. "Ya' can imagine the shock ah felt as he did that. But as he murmured that it didn't hit nothing fatal and began to chat with meh, ah felt my heart go out to this man."

Clearing her throat, Kitty gained her attention. "Who was he?"

Blinking, a tear fell. "The man who got meh to straighten my life out and love meh. His name was Richard Yamaha."

"Was?"

She nodded. "He died yesterday from my kiss, as we wedded." Hearing a collection of gasps throughout the entire room as well as seeing the pity they gave her, she headed for the exit. Pausing in the entrance, she kept her gaze frontwards. "Ah'll be in the jet waiting." And with that, she swiftly exited.

Once the door sounded and her steps faded, Hank slowly came to his feet. "Did you know?"

Shaking her head, Storm sighed. "She called me two hours before her arrival and said that she would visit. Upon such, we only spoke of her mutation returning and when asked about the wedding, she promptly left my office. I just figured it didn't happen." Running a hand through her shortened locks, she frowned. "But to have killed him, when they kissed to finalize it, must've been agonizing. From all the words we shared on Mr. Yamaha, all I could hear was pure love." Clearing her throat, she gazed at the remaining of the members. "Kurt, I want you and Hank to remain here along myself to see to the school. Kitty, Logan, Jubilee, and Bobby, suit up and get to the jet. The coordinates have already been programmed into the system. Report back when you arrive and of the situation. From what I have been told, the Brotherhood has been causing mayhem and the FOH are on the scene as well. Tread lightly, and God be with you."

Giving a nod, all stood and headed for the door.

* * *

Swiping her bangs out of her face, Jubilee frowned.

"Still thinking about what she said?" Kitty asked, from beside her.

Rolling her eyes, she stared out the window at the lights below.

"Don't let what she said get to you. I know it hurts how she threw out your marriage being wrong and all, but..."

"Just cram it. You can't even fathom how I feel." She bit out, glaring at the smaller female. "Whereas you took her boyfriend from right under her, you were never friends with her. So you have no idea how I fucken feel. So zip it and keep it to yourself."

Skin gaining a tint of red, Kitty looked down at her lap embarrassed.

Watching as his wife returned to the view outside the window, Logan sighed. Running a hand through his hair and glimpsing Bobby and Rogue talking at the controls, he frowned. No matter how things were now, he knew nothing could come from Storm's confession of her feelings.

Yet his eyes of yearning couldn't seem to agree.

Shaking his head, he concentrated on the mission at hand. Hopefully he could pound a face in and rid himself of the tension that he was feeling.

* * *

"I give up." Bobby exclaimed, as yet again the five of them exited another casino empty handed. "The story is going to be the same at every place. They haven't seen him. We might as well call it in and wait for help or..."

"It's one more place we can try." Rogue stated, as she began to walk down the street.

Falling in step behind her and glowering at a man who rudely bumped her, Jubilee frowned. "And where would that be? In case you forgot, we tried all the motels, hotels, and damn near every casino in this God for saken city. There's nowhere else he could possibly..."

"We're going to the Thieves' Guild." She rather coldly stated. "If he doesn't want to be found, he'll be there."

Eyeing her, Logan shook his head. "No."

Locking gazes with him, she raised an eyebrow. "And why the hell not?"

"It's too dangerous and not to mention all them meat head criminals." He growled, coming to stand before her.

Smirking, she damn near laughed. "Meat head criminals, yeah. Dangerous... uh no. The only one here that would have something to worry about, would be me." Turning away from him and his angry darkened eyes, she addressed their small team. "Once we enter, do not act. Ah will be...they have a protocol and bringing ya' all in will go against it. So ah repeat, do 'not' act on ya' instincts." With nothing more to say and not even giving them a chance to speak upon what she shared, Rogue quickly crossed the street and headed down a dark and shady alley.

Sharing looks with each other, they slowly followed her.

With her head down in shame for being told off, Jubilee glimpsed her angered and mute husband. "Wolvie-bear, I..."

"Just don't." He bit out, quickly walking past her and attempting to catch up with the now silent and fleeing Rogue.

Biting her tongue to quiet her anger at being tossed to number two in her feral lover's mind set, she balled a fist. No way was she going to let Ms. Jealous come in and ruin her happy ever after. Hell, it was never a happy ever after, but at least it was something. Knowing she was in the wrong for keeping her marriage to her now ex-best friend's all time crush was one thing, but she wouldn't admit the guilt she felt. There were many times when they would message each other and share news of their lives, but when Rogue told her about Richard she just couldn't bring herself to tell her. Part of her was afraid that she would be pissed and stop talking to her, yet that already happened. But losing Logan after all the work she put into him and their relationship, would ultimately crush her.

Blinking back tears as she watched him rush towards the brunette with white streaks, she feared it was already coming true.

* * *

Please review and tell me what you think.


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